The majority of students are 'left behind'

Both No Child Left Behind and Common Core are the nation’s desperate attempts to improve our public education system. Self-serving administrators, as well as teachers and their unions opt for unaccountability by feigning ‘problems’ with these programs. They claim, for instance, that ‘Nobody tells us (districts) what to do’! while making little effort to improve public schools from year to year. Therefore, district ‘leadership’ keeps their jobs not as a result of schools’ performance, but by guaranteeing that their teachers will not be held accountable for inadequately educating our kids.

Unless a student attends either GATE (Gifted and Talented) or Advanced Placement (AP) classes, they (about 75 percent) are seldom found to be competent in math and reading upon graduation from high school. This catastrophe impacts America’s future as many third world countries now eclipse our once proud public education system. Endless ‘escape routes’ have been created — charter, private, home, magnet and religious schools — as many parents now pay taxes for public schools, and, in addition, pay tuition for a FAR better education for their kids.

Following is a list of societies’ components and their frustrations with the ongoing catastrophe.

STUDENTS: Have endless untapped potential. Other than the top 25 percent, they are given grades they don’t deserve by the public school system. Nothing else explains the horrendous reality that our public high school ‘graduates’ cannot take college classes or perform for employers after completing our high schools.

TEACHERS: Are ‘the’ critical aspect of public education. The method used to ‘select’ teachers is unquestionably broken. The needs of the 21st century students are not met with teachers who gain high grade point averages in simplified education classes. Foreign nations with ‘the’ best public education systems select ‘only’ those of the highest potential to become teachers. We have not decided ‘yet’ that this must be done in America. In addition, our ‘best’ often leave our public education system after having taught for five years or less. There is no data that supports the contention that they leave because of ‘low pay.’

PARENTS: Have wonderful aspirations for their progeny. Due to the reputation of their kids’ teachers, they most often have little respect for public school teachers, and thus help create the chaotic atmosphere in our public schools — by being disrespectful of their kids teachers. Most have not taught, and are mistakenly intimidated from serious and respectful involvement with our public schools.

SUPERINTENDENTS, SCHOOL BOARDS AND PRINCIPALS: Merely feign involvement and understanding of classroom issues as teachers fight the chronic and unanswered yearly problems these bureaucrats create. They seem to not understand that teachers must have the authority to direct every aspect of their teaching effort without ‘education politicians’ undercutting their decisions. As an example, this citizen attended a grade school with no ‘principal or vice principal.’ The teachers were given full authority to make ‘sunshine and rain’ for their charges. This was an award winning school. Districts that maximize numbers of personnel in district jobs do so at the expense of teachers jobs and kids futures. These ‘positions’ have never had an impact on the quality of education. The Coeur d’Alene district is one such district.

POLITICIANS: Posture and pretend to take action. As an example: This citizen has an idea for legislation on how to drastically improve the public schools in Coeur d’Alene. I met with State Rep. Don Cheatham and State Sen. Ron Mendive. They agreed with the concept I proposed, and commented about the serious problems found in our public schools. That was six months ago, and they have not even called or sent an email concerning the improvement. Since, other political representation has since taken up the effort.

THE PRESS: Mistakenly spends its potential to solve the public education debacle by catering (schmoozing) with the public school bureaucracy — at the expense of kids and their futures. They claim they won’t/don’t come down on either side of this CRITICAL ISSUE — as if quality schools are a ‘political issue.’

UNIONS: Teachers’ benefits are created and supported through their unions. Consequences for poor performance of teachers is unheard of through union action. In addition, KIDS are the ones who need a union. (Note: This citizen taught in California’s public schools for five years. I paid $135/month to a union that refused to even discuss the critical need to improve their schools.)

THE NATION: Our public schools have a stranglehold on the nation. Decades of unions dues now buys endless lawyers who fight for endless benefits for a highly dysfunctional system. Our once proud nation’s reputation suffers due to this reality, as FAR too few of our high school graduates compete for representation on the world stage.

SUMMARY: Idaho has ‘the’ worst proportion of its citizens who gain a college education — 10 percent. This is due to the poor preparation that our kids get in our public schools. Massive reform is needed

Note that every aspect of our society lacks the willingness to take action to improve our public schools, and, those who should (districts) flat refuse, while keeping their jobs. I’d vote for Common Core as ‘a’ solution. Like any proposed system, it is not perfect, but, if embraced — rather than stiff-armed — it would help to start the nation, and Coeur d’Alene, on an avenue toward public education accountability. Unless we embrace Common Core, thousands of public school districts will continue to provide a substandard education, which is an ABUSE of our kids and the nation.

Ronald Deady has lived in Coeur d’ Alene for more than 3 years after a career as an officer and pilot in the Air Force and commercial airlines.